National Insurance underpaid 20 years ago

[breakdown19]

So when doing my tax I looked into my ni contribs and it's showing that I underpaid for the three years I was at university. It's a small amount like £200 or something
I worked on lots of small paye jobs at the time, all likely emergency taxed too 🙄
How do I put this record straight?

You would probably have been given the opportunity to make up the ni shortfall at the time.

Me too so they don't count but for me, it's too long ago to make up the gap now!

Thanks for the reply

that's really annoying. That they have the records but I cant amend it?

You can't fill gaps that long ago. Does it matter? You will likely get the full 35 years needed for state pension anyway.

You can't do anything about it now, my uni years are the same.

Are you not going to be working for enough years to get to the maximum?

I don’t understand what you mean by amending it.
As I understand it, you didn’t pay NI for those years, so they don’t count towards your total. There’s nothing to amend. As far as I’m aware you can’t catch up those payments now to make the years count.

Would a few hours of part time employment even count anyway?

Just write those years off and make sure all of your years count from now on.

You can buy missing years (class 3 contributions) but probably not beneficial if you can reach the required number of years by working and/or certain benefits or home responsibilities credits for years looking after young children. No need to worry until you are closer to pension age.

I thought time spent at university/ in further education gains automatic NI credits?

@SynchroSwimmer

I thought time spent at university/ in further education gains automatic NI credits?

Where are you @SynchroSwimmer that isnt the case in England afaik

Back in the dim & distant past, if you went to a University, you're time was covered for NI payments.
If you were an oik and went to a Polytechnic, you weren't. Still grates now.

Ring them up and ask if you owe anything. If they say yes, then pay it. That's what I did.

Calculate how long you are likely to work for. I did and decided that even without my university years I would have enough to qualify for state pension (if it still exists!)

I've checked mine recently and was told that age 16-19 is covered (school) but not university.
You need 35 years for full pension so if you work (or claim child benefit) you should have enough contributions by retirement.

If you worked lots of small jobs it’s unlikely that you reached the earnings threshold to pay NI as each employment is treated separately.

You can top up for missing years but only for the previous 6 years.

So this is what it says.

@Ifailed

Back in the dim & distant past, if you went to a University, you're time was covered for NI payments. If you were an oik and went to a Polytechnic, you weren't. Still grates now.

That's outrageous I have just gone back on the system and I think I can correct it - I don't know why it's annoying me but it is. I also (mortifyingly) didn't know that it was 35 years - I have 25 already so should be okay. Thanks to you all for your help. MN is such a godsend.

As far as I am aware, you can only make up contributions for more recent years (6 I think). Nothing you can do now about missed payments from a long time ago.

I have just gone back on the system and I think I can correct it

How? It’s over 20 years ago, so way beyond the 6 years where you can make it up with additional payments.

It doesn’t really matter as long as you pay in for at least 30 years.

@TolkiensFallow

It doesn’t really matter as long as you pay in for at least 30 years.

It’s 35 years for a full state pension.

@Ifailed

Back in the dim & distant past, if you went to a University, you're time was covered for NI payments. If you were an oik and went to a Polytechnic, you weren't. Still grates now.

I went to a Polytechnic in the 80s and got NI credits

@Soontobe60

in 1980 - 82 I spent two years full time at Poly (then went part time and had a job).

Op - nearer the time of your pension- say 4 years before, you (and anyone) could do what I did and write a letter to get any issues put right and on record in good time - so it’s corrected on the system - I sent a letter with queries and a table covering my employment for each year, some of which weren’t on their records - though I had evidence of paying NI throughout.

I also raised other queries and they replied giving me new allocations.

For info, they have still not correctly “allocated” 4 years of self employment - it is showing as missing, despite my having paid….I think it is common - so worth raising nearer the time.

I have yet to receive my pension, but yes, it grates - after 44 years FT work I still won’t receive the full amount (due to SERPS) yet my friend who only worked 25 years (but a lot of time at uni), and gets the full amount….as an example.

@marquesses - in reply, yes I am UK based (but will admit that I do get about a lot… 🤭)

@TheAbbotOfUnreason

I have just gone back on the system and I think I can correct it

How? It’s over 20 years ago, so way beyond the 6 years where you can make it up with additional payments.

I'm also interested @breakdown19 in how you can buy those years back, I'd like to do that but am also way past the 6 year limit

Don't worry about not knowing the 35 year limit, that's not embarrassing in the slightest, I really don't think that's a widely known fact.

There is a very good Facebook group with factual information -
UK State Pension & Workplace Age Discrimination Discussion Group

m.facebook.com/groups/152800518095421/?ref=group_browse